You will be very much aware of the current escalating situation nationally and internationally in relation to Coronavirus.

Some pupils and parents have asked questions around how DEC may or may not be affected by the current situation – I write here to provide a brief overview and some reassurance.

We receive daily updates from The Department for Education advising us of new information and any action we may need to take. So far, the direction given to all schools matches everything that we have all seen on the news. Regular washing of hands for more than 20 seconds with soap and water remains the most effective action we can all take to prevent the spread of the virus.

Pupils have been reminded of this advice – multiple notices are placed around school and on big screens to continually prompt everyone to wash their hands. In addition, we are ensuring that cleaning remains thorough in school every day.

So far, there have been no cases of Coronavirus within or connected to school.

In the event of a change to our situation, we will notify parents straight away and act according to the advice given to us by Public Health England and The Department for Education.

As things currently stand, it is business as usual for all pupils.

Thank you for your continued support.

Welcome to the latest SEND Newsletter, aimed at keeping parents and carers informed and updated on all things associated with supporting those with additional needs. I believe that working in partnership with families will produce positive educational and social outcomes for your child as this directly links to supporting learning and development. It was therefore very pleasing to meet with so many of you at the recent SEND Coffee Morning.

Please do not hesitate to contact me at school should you have any suggestions about future agenda items.

Incident – Monday, 3^rd Feb at 3:30pm.

Location – Back of Colmers School, connecting Colmers School with Hollywood Bowl.

On  Monday 3^rd Feb, an unknown adult male was riding past several pupils from Colmers School and saw a group of teenagers who were pupils from other schools. The male jumped off his bike and produced a long-bladed and serrated knife from his coat. The group of 14-15 year olds ran and the cyclist chased two of them back up the lanes. Pupils who witnessed this were understandably shaken. We have contacted the police, who were already aware of the incident and are investigating. The assailant remains unknown but is described as having a deep voice, tall, Caucasian, wearing a long, black coat with the hood up, possibly in tracksuit leggings. Please discuss vigilance on the way home and stranger danger with your child, please see some guidance below.

STRANGER DANGER REMINDER

The police have asked us to share stranger danger advice with you to help keep you safe when you are out and about and travelling to and from school.

STRANGER DANGER PREVENTION ADVICE

Here are some simple steps you can take to make sure you stay safe on the street.

• Never go off on your own with a stranger, take things from them or get in a car with them.
• Make sure you tell your parents where you are
• If someone scares you or makes you feel uncomfortable go somewhere safe, which could be your home, your school or a police station.
• Remember to tell someone what has happened straight away
• If you have Snapchat check the settings on the new location sharing feature, Snap Maps , including details about how to change your settings and tips for staying safe.

USEFUL LINKS FOR PARENTS

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is the only children’s charity which can safeguard children. Visit their website for more information – https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/staying-safe-away-from-home/

Advice for all early years providers, schools and further education providers.

The government is closely monitoring the spread of the Coronavirus and is taking action at home and abroad.

The overall risk of Coronavirus to the UK remains moderate. However, we understand that people may be concerned where there are children, students or staff returning from or visiting China.

Public Health England and the Foreign Office have issued advice for anyone travelling to the area. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china

Advice for parents/guardians

You should not be unduly worried about the possibility of your children catching the Coronavirus.

There is no reason why your children should not continue to attend their early years, school or further education setting as normal.

We recognise that some families or children may be planning to travel to China during the forthcoming half-term period. If so, please refer to the FCO’s latest travel advice via the link above.

What action you can take?

A UK wide campaign has been launched to provide clear advice on how to slow the spread of Coronavirus.

Please help to support the campaign which promotes basic hygiene practices, such as regularly washing hands and always sneezing into a tissue, to stem the spread of viruses.

Stay tuned for our upcoming Headteacher blog posts.

Monday 4th February 2020

Welcome to the first Newsletter of 2020. I hope that the information provided is both informative and useful.  Please make every effort to attend the forthcoming Coffee Morning as this is a great opportunity to meet and discuss current SEND news. Please be reassured that the Inclusion Team continue to work hard to ensure pupils feel happy, safe and supported in school. All staff receive regular Continual Professional Development on specific topics aimed at supporting children with additional needs. Staff have recently received training around ‘Autism Awareness’, Mental Health, Dyslexia and Speech, Language and Communication Needs. I will keep you updated on such news in future issues.

If there is anything that you feel would be useful to include in future editions please do not hesitate to contact me at school.

You can also read more here about an upcoming workshop from Birmingham City Council called Be Empowered.

Happy New Year

We hope all pupils and families have had a restful Christmas break

Please use the following links below to find all information relating to DEC standards and expectations.

Pupils return for the start of spring term 1 on Tuesday 7^th January

As always, pupils need to arrive no later than 08:30am